7. Most Common Behavior Changes among Women
7
Culture of savings was the most frequent domain of change for women, often
via VESA participation.
Culture of savings was the most frequent domain of change for women, often
via VESA participation.
“Now we are saving and we can have financial stability…Before
when our family dies we used to borrow money from informal
money lenders, but now we use the money from our savings.”
-- 40 year-old female leader, Shebedino
“Now we are saving and we can have financial stability…Before
when our family dies we used to borrow money from informal
money lenders, but now we use the money from our savings.”
-- 40 year-old female leader, Shebedino
“The training has taught us we have to save in order to survive
after the phase out of PSNP.”
-- 40 year-old woman from FHH, Anshokela
“The training has taught us we have to save in order to survive
after the phase out of PSNP.”
-- 40 year-old woman from FHH, Anshokela
8. Most Common Behavior Changes among Women
8
Women are engaging more in diverse income-generating activities.Women are engaging more in diverse income-generating activities.
Income and Income-Generating Activities among Women Number of Times
Reported
Women participate in petty trading/diversify IGAs 17
Women invest in agricultural activities 7
Women adopt new livestock management techniques 6
“I am more business-minded now. I sell maize when it’s not the
season for maize so that it’s more expensive to sell so that I can
get more money with it.”
– 30 year-old female leader, Rafu Hargisa
“I am more business-minded now. I sell maize when it’s not the
season for maize so that it’s more expensive to sell so that I can
get more money with it.”
– 30 year-old female leader, Rafu Hargisa
9. Most Common Behavior Changes among Women
9
Women are increasingly having family discussions, with husbands and with
children.
Women are increasingly having family discussions, with husbands and with
children.
Changes Related to Family Discussions and Decision-
Making among Women
Number of Times
Reported
Parents began involving their children in discussions 15
Women started discussions with their husbands 8
Women have increased decision-making power 3
“I started having family discussions when I realized that I could
have four diversified ideas from my three children including
myself.”
– 30 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
“I started having family discussions when I realized that I could
have four diversified ideas from my three children including
myself.”
– 30 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
10. Most Common Behavior Changes among Women
10
Changes related to girls’ education were only noted by women from FHH .Changes related to girls’ education were only noted by women from FHH .
“Now I will send both my children to school (boy and girl).”
– 34 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
“Now I will send both my children to school (boy and girl).”
– 34 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
There were many observations to the effect that GBV and some HTPs have been
diminishing.
There were many observations to the effect that GBV and some HTPs have been
diminishing.
Changes Related to GBV and HTPs among Women Number of Times
Reported
Women avoid early marriage and/or abduction 9
Women work to reduce female genital cutting 5
Women refuse to participate in wife inheritance custom 3
11. Most Common Behavior Changes among Women
11
Changes in nutrition and eating habits were most common among women from
FHH.
Changes in nutrition and eating habits were most common among women from
FHH.
“Earlier if there is an occasion like a wedding, husband and wife
will not go together. Nowadays women have started sitting
together with husbands and men in public gathering.”
– 35 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
“Earlier if there is an occasion like a wedding, husband and wife
will not go together. Nowadays women have started sitting
together with husbands and men in public gathering.”
– 35 year-old woman from FHH, Hawassa Zuria
Women began to participate in VESAs, community meetings, and public
ceremonies, like weddings and funerals.
Women began to participate in VESAs, community meetings, and public
ceremonies, like weddings and funerals.
Changes in Nutrition among Women Number of Times
Reported
Women are able to improve their children’s nutrition 15
Women participate in micro-gardening 4
Women’s nutritional practices improve 3
12. Other Behavior Changes among Women
12
Domain of Change Specific Changes Number of Times
Reported
Women’s value and
worth in society
Female GRAD participants serve as role models in
their communities
5
Women participating in program and behavior
changes experience greater acceptance in their
communities
2
Women raise their aspirations 2
Workload sharing Mothers assign tasks equally to sons and
daughters
6
Women participate in more agricultural activities 2
Changes in the
relationship
Women eat with men 6
Women show and feel respect in relationships and
fight less often with their spouses
Women have begun sitting together with men
15. Most Common Behavior Changes among Men
15
Workload sharing was the most frequent domain of change for men.
• Easiest: fetching water, collecting firewood, cooking wat, making coffee, &
caring for children
• Hardest: processing enset, making injera, cleaning tools
Workload sharing was the most frequent domain of change for men.
• Easiest: fetching water, collecting firewood, cooking wat, making coffee, &
caring for children
• Hardest: processing enset, making injera, cleaning tools
16. Most Common Behavior Changes among Men
16
There were a significant number of behavior changes reported in the category
of family discussions and decision-making, particularly related to livelihood
decisions such as the sale of produce and livestock.
There were a significant number of behavior changes reported in the category
of family discussions and decision-making, particularly related to livelihood
decisions such as the sale of produce and livestock.
Changes Related to Family Discussions and Decision-
Making among Men
Number of Times
Reported
Men discuss selling agricultural products and livestock
with their wives
76
Men use family discussions to resolve conflicts 2
“Men started to discuss with their wives on selling grain and
livestock.”
– 24 year-old man, Anshokela
“Men started to discuss with their wives on selling grain and
livestock.”
– 24 year-old man, Anshokela
17. Most Common Behavior Changes among Men
17
Changes in the husband-wife relationship centered on themes of respect and
trust--especially in financial matters.
Changes in the husband-wife relationship centered on themes of respect and
trust--especially in financial matters.
Relationship Changes among Men Number of Times
Reported
Men eat with their wives 32
Men seek their wives’ help on financial matters 19
“Women started to manage resources equally with men. Men
started to trust them to take responsibility.”
– 30 year-old man, Rafu Hargisa
“Women started to manage resources equally with men. Men
started to trust them to take responsibility.”
– 30 year-old man, Rafu Hargisa
18. Most Common Behavior Changes among Men
18
Changing behaviors and attitudes around girls’ education reflects an
appreciation for the value of education and the abilities of the girl child.
Changing behaviors and attitudes around girls’ education reflects an
appreciation for the value of education and the abilities of the girl child.
Changes Related to Girls’ Education among Men Number of Times
Reported
Men support education for both boys and girls 52
Men recognize the value of educating girls 16
“Men started to send children to school understanding the
concept that teaching women is teaching the community.”
– 38 year-old role model, Rafu Hargisa
“Men started to send children to school understanding the
concept that teaching women is teaching the community.”
– 38 year-old role model, Rafu Hargisa
19. Most Common Behavior Changes among Men
19
GBV and HTP-related behavior changes were reported approximately twice as
often for role model men than for “regular” men, indicating that increased
training and emphasis on gender equity may help foster change even on
challenging issues such as these.
GBV and HTP-related behavior changes were reported approximately twice as
often for role model men than for “regular” men, indicating that increased
training and emphasis on gender equity may help foster change even on
challenging issues such as these.
Changes Related to GBV & HTPs among Men Number of Times
Reported
Men decrease the use of household violence 22
Men choose not to have their daughters undergo FGC and
discourage the practice
10
Men stop participating in and discourage polygamy 5
Men work to discourage abduction 5
Men work to discourage early marriage 2
20. Other Behavior Changes among Men
20
Domain of
Change
Specific Changes Number of Times
Reported
Access to MFIs Men began to engage in diffierent IGAs
with MFI loans
17
Men are able to borrow from MFIs
multiple times
12
Income
Generating
Activities
Men engage in new or different IGAs 16
Men experience increased agricultural
productivity
5
Culture of
Savings
Men begin to save 27
23. Most Common Behavior Changes among Community Leaders
23
Workload sharing was the most frequent domain of change for community
leaders.
• Easiest: fetching water, collecting firewood, cooking wat, & making coffee
• Hardest: processing enset, washing clothes, & preparing kocho
Workload sharing was the most frequent domain of change for community
leaders.
• Easiest: fetching water, collecting firewood, cooking wat, & making coffee
• Hardest: processing enset, washing clothes, & preparing kocho
24. Most Common Behavior Changes among Community Leaders
24
Community leaders reported changes in their relationships, including eating
with their wives and sharing a storage key with their wives, indicating greater
trust.
Community leaders reported changes in their relationships, including eating
with their wives and sharing a storage key with their wives, indicating greater
trust.
Relationship Changes among Community Leaders Number of Times
Reported
Male leaders share a common storage key with their wives 3
Male leaders eat with their wives 2
“I have a big [cash] box. Now we have a common key.”
– 55 year-old leader, Shebedino
“I have a big [cash] box. Now we have a common key.”
– 55 year-old leader, Shebedino
25. Most Common Behavior Changes among Community Leaders
25
Two types of new discussions reported by community leaders pertain to
household assets, like cattle, and family planning.
Two types of new discussions reported by community leaders pertain to
household assets, like cattle, and family planning.
Changes in Family Discussions and Decision-Making
among Community Leaders
Number of Times
Reported
Leaders begin discussions about household assets with
their wives
6
Leaders start discussing family planning issues with their
wives
1
“The chairperson of the kebele started to discuss issues with his
wife, like giving birth, sell cattle.”
– 38 year-old leader, Rafu Hargisa
“The chairperson of the kebele started to discuss issues with his
wife, like giving birth, sell cattle.”
– 38 year-old leader, Rafu Hargisa
26. Other Behavior Changes among Community Leaders
26
Domain of
Change
Specific Changes Number of Times
Reported
Access to MFIs Religious leaders take loans and serve
as role models
4
Leaders provide advice to their
communities about MFI access
2
Conflict
Resolution
Leaders help resolve conflicts in their
communities
4
Women’s
Public
Participation
Leaders advise men and women to sit
together in public
5
Leaders encourage their husbands to
send their wives to VESA meetings
3
Amelia
Level 1 codes pertained to the domain of change identified by the data collection team (such as changes in workload sharing or changes in attitudes and beliefs about gender). The Level 1 codebook was developed on the last day of the data collection period, with some modifications made during the process of coding. . Each section of text was also assigned a Level 2 code, related to the stage of change to which the text referred: —1) baseline norm/belief, 2) Progress Marker - changes observed, 3) changes desired by the respondents, 4) enabling factors, and 5) obstacles to change.
Amelia
Level 1 codes pertained to the domain of change identified by the data collection team (such as changes in workload sharing or changes in attitudes and beliefs about gender). The Level 1 codebook was developed on the last day of the data collection period, with some modifications made during the process of coding. . Each section of text was also assigned a Level 2 code, related to the stage of change to which the text referred: —1) baseline norm/belief, 2) Progress Marker - changes observed, 3) changes desired by the respondents, 4) enabling factors, and 5) obstacles to change.
Amelia
Following the group analysis that took place during the data collection process, the focus group notes were reviewed by a team of three CARE research students with the CARE Gender Advisor, and entered manually into pre-formulated spreadsheets in Excel. The coding team entered relevant sections of text, tagged the appropriate demographic information for the speaker, and assigned Level 1 and Level 2 codes. Analyzing the coded data in Excel enabled the researchers to validate the field-level observations about the frequency with which specific types of changes were observed for various target groups. These frequencies are presented in tables throughout this document and as percentages of total changes reported by participants; however, it is important to note that this is a qualitative review and the frequencies and percentages of changes reported are not statistically significant, but only give a general idea of the most and least commonly reported changes among groups. Quotes and stories from participants were used to illustrate the various ways GRAD has influenced the lives of participants.
Amelia
Explanation of how frequencies were calculated
following coding (and checking and rechecking), the total number of changes for each level 1 domain were tallied– for behavior changes, only those changes that were attributed to the target group speaking
Mahlet
Focus-group discussions were conducted with female GRAD participants from both male- and female-headed households and with female leaders. Behavior changes were documented among these three groups and coded with Level 1 thematic codes. The changes observed among female participants can be seen in the chart below. The most significant volume of behavior changes noted among women were related to economic activity (savings and IGA activities) and greater involvement in family discussions and decisions. Enrollment of girls in school was also a significant behavior change. Compared to the changes in livelihood practices, there were far fewer behavior changes among women in the domains of social empowerment and internal empowerment, such as women’s public participation, leadership, and gender beliefs.
Mahlet
GRAD encourages vulnerable households in its target communities to practice savings, in order to bolster household resilience in the face of shocks. The creation of expanded savings groups called Village Economic and Social Associations (VESAs) are the vehicle for GRAD’s promotion of broader economic and social changes. Behaviors related to savings were the most commonly reported type of change among female respondents (reported a total of 37 times among all female participants), suggesting the significance of this resource to their lives. The respondents as well as the data collection team referred to a cluster of behaviors as “a culture of savings,” indicating not only the specific savings practice but an orientation toward planning and investing in the future. Men, primarily role model men, also reported observing women engaging in new savings practices
Mahlet
After the “culture of savings” the greatest number of changes among women were related to income and income generating activities (IGAs). Engaging in new livestock management practices (primarily fattening sheep and goats), in agricultural investments, and in petty trade were the most common IGA-related activities mentioned by women. Some also mentioned selling eggs as an IGA. Nearly half of all IGA-related changes for all three groups of female participants were related to petty trading, improved business skills, and diversification of IGAs. Several women described investing in improved agricultural activities. Some women explained how their improved incomes have enabled them to better provide for their children and have improved the well-being of their families. Many of the male interviewees also mentioned and approved of women’s participation in IGAs.
Mahlet
Many of these “Family discussion and decision-making” progress markers fell in the men’s behavior-change patterns (as it is men generally who changed the pattern, by taking the initiative to include women in discussions). Nonetheless, changes related to women’s greater confidence to speak up in family discussions and decision-making were notable among female respondents as well. Two primary changes pertaining to family discussions and decision-making were identified for women: women discussing issues like resource management with their husbands and parents including their children in discussions. Though women demonstrated both of these changes, the changes reported were quite different for the different types of households: female leaders and women from MHH only mentioned changes related to holding discussions with their children, while women from FHH engaged more frequently in discussions with their children or other family members than in discussions with men—which is not surprising since women in FHH, by the very definition of a FHH, may not have husbands living in the household. Women’s discussions with husbands and men tended to focus on either management of assets—such as land and cattle—or on children—such as school fees, but some also mentioned that “discussions” together promted shifts around workload sharing and gender-based violence. For women (particularly those from female-headed households), there was a notable shift toward discussing issues more openly with their children. Despite their greater involvement in “family discussions,” it is evident that women cannot be as direct as men in advocating for their needs and views. Women, particularly those from MHH and female leaders, mentioned various strategies they employ to avoid arguments and to influence household decisions. Some women initiated dialogues with other relatives to influence desired outcomes.
Mahlet
Girls’ education was the fourth most common domain of change observed among women. Changes related to girls’ education were only noted by women from FHH, not by women from MHH or female leaders. The vast majority of these changes were reported by women living in Shebedino. Most of the changes reported in this area were related to women’s increased willingness or ability to send their daughters, not just their sons, to school. Particularly among respondents in female-headed households, there were behavior changes related to delaying the age of marriage for daughters so that they can complete more schooling.
Although it is difficult to validate whether respondents were speaking of actions that have happened and to what extent within the GRAD period, there were many observations to the effect that GBV and some HTPs have been diminishing, including abduction, wife inheritance, and polygamy. There were conflicting statements about FGC– with some women stating that it had been completely eradicated (since before GRAD), and others suggesting that they had made a decision (in the future) not to have their own daughters cut. As described previously in the section, some mothers and daughters are choosing to delay marriage in order to allow their daughters to complete schooling. Preventing early marriage is also associated with another Ethiopian HTP, abduction for marriage. Combined, changes related to delaying marriage and reducing abduction for marriage are the most commonly observed GBV/HTP-related changes among women, though it is worth acknowledging that all of these changes were reported from Rafu Hargisa. FGC (also known as female genital mutilation) figures prominently in discourse around HTPs in Ethiopia. Decreased support for and practice of FGC was the second most common GBV/HTP-related change noted by female participants—both FHH and female leaders—and observed in both Anshokela and Hawassa Zuria. Wife inheritance is another HTP in Ethiopia and a number of GBV/HTP-related changes reported by women concerned wife inheritance, all of them noted by women from FHH. With regard to this HTp, however, changes were noted in three of the four target sites.
Mahlet
Nutrition is a central component of the GRAD program. While all three groups of women described some changes related to nutrition, the vast majority of these changes were described by women from FHH. Nutritional changes related to five primary themes: micro-gardening, children’s nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, and general changes in women’s nutrition. Changes in children’s nutrition were by far the most common type of nutrition-related changes observed by women. These changes reflect enhanced understanding of children’s need for a balanced diet with vegetables and protein. Micro-gardening was another important nutrition-related change among women.
Behavior changes regarding women’s public participation were observed only by women from FHH and female leaders. The most common changes related to women’s public participation concern women participating in VESA and community meetings and women’s ability to participate in public ceremonies, including weddings and funerals.
Mahlet
No changes related to women’s value and worth were described by women from MHH, but women from FHH and female leaders did report changes in this domain. The most commonly noted change by women relating to their value and worth is the way other members of the community have begun to look up to these female GRAD participants as role models. Women have also experienced greater acceptance from their communities, which sometimes manifests as members of the community and family turning to these more empowered women for assistance. Trust toward these women has also increased.
Several changes related to workload sharing were identified by female respondents. The majority of changes related to workload sharing were observed among men, who started assisting with traditionally female tasks. A few women described generally more equitable workload sharing in their households. One commonly described change calls for attention and caution: a number of workload sharing-related changes described by women focused on children helping to take on some of the work burden of their mother’s. These changes were primarily described by women from FHH and were not focused on more equal distribution of tasks among sons and daughters as were the changes discussed above. Only two female participants described changes related to women participating more in agricultural activities
Changes in the relationship accounted for a small number of all changes among women from FHH and female leaders. Changes in relationships observed by women were primarily related to men and women eating together, men and women sitting together, and increased respect and reduced conflict. In some parts of Ethiopia, it is not common practice for men and women to eat together. However, this was the most frequently observed relationship change among female GRAD participants. Women have also begun sitting together with men. Sitting together, in this case, means not only sitting beside men at meetings and public events, but also contributing to joint decision-making. Female leaders described changes in the relationship related to reduced conflict and the use of a woman’s name as a sign of respect.
Mahlet
Other types of changes were mentioned far less frequently by female participants. Changes related to women’s leadership, changes in beliefs and attitudes about gender, and changes concerning natural resource preservation were observed only by female leaders and women from FHH. All three types of women observed changes in access to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and building household assets.
Amelia
For all men, the most commonly observed behavior changes related to workload sharing—men taking up domestic tasks in the household. Both groups also reported a number of changes related to family discussions and decision-making, changes in relationships, and girls’ education. However, several important differences in the types of behavior changes observed among the two groups are worth discussion. Male participants reported more changes related to income generating activities and changes in income, a culture of savings, building household assets, and access to MFIs. Role model men, on the other hand, reported a higher percentage of changes related to reduction in gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices and changes in beliefs and attitudes about gender.
Amelia
Behavior changes related to workload sharing were by far the most commonly observed changes among men, perhaps reflecting the GRAD program’s emphasis on workload sharing in the trainings it has conducted thus far. Participants described various activities they have begun to undertake or assist with that were formerly reserved for women.
The most common tasks that men and boys undertook were to help fetch water, collect firewood, make coffee, cook wat, and take care of children. All of these behavior changes were observed for both regular male participants and role model men, which suggests that they are easier changes that one might expect to see with relatively little resistance or difficulty.
Tasks that were less frequently observed included helping with preparing the bed for sleep, milling grain, cooking wat (a staple food item), cleaning tools, cleaning the home, going to the market to purchase household goods, washing clothes, milking cows, and processing milk. These slightly more difficult changes were, for the most part, observed more among the role model men who have been exposed to additional training from the program. For instance, only role model men described cleaning tools and the house, milking cows, processing milk, washing clothes, and milling grain.
In the area of workload sharing, some of the least-common behavior changes observed among men were assistance with preparing injera (another staple food item) production and helping with the traditionally female agricultural crop enset. There was a particular taboo against men assisting with enset preparation, which is seen as an emasculating activity. Only role model men have undertaken any of these behavior changes, and these are the least commonly observed workload sharing-changes among role model men.
Amelia
Many of the men described changes specifically related to decision-making around selling agricultural products and livestock, which may be expected from the GRAD program’s promotion of livestock and agricultural value chains. Not only are men and women jointly discussing and deciding upon the sale of resources, but it appears that, in some cases, women themselves are making the primary decisions related to sales or taking on new activities through dialogue with their spouses. Family discussions were also cited as an improved method of conflict resolution within the family.
Amelia
Changes in the husband-wife relationship, primarily centered on themes of respect and trust--especially in financial matters-- were the third most common type of changes observed for both role model and other men. Many men described general increases in their levels of respect for their wives. As noted by the women, one commonly cited behavior indicative of increased respect was the fact that men and women began eating together. Many men reported increased trust men exhibited toward their wives, especially as related to resource control. A common change—described as profound indicator of trust—was men allowing the wife to have a key to the cash box.
Amelia
Corroborating the women’s statements of change, many men also reported behavior changes pertaining to giving both boys and girls educational opportunities in their own households as well as in the wider community. Changing behaviors and attitudes around girls’ education reflects an appreciation for the value of education and the abilities of the girl child.
Amelia
GBV and HTP-related behavior changes were reported approximately twice as often for role model men than for “regular” men, indicating that increased training and emphasis on gender equity may help foster change even on challenging issues such as these. Changes related to GBV and HTPs touched on five distinct topics: violence within the household, FGC, polygamy, early marriage, and abduction. All GBV/HTP-related changes among other men related to household-level violence.
The majority of the changes observed in this category were related to decreased violence within the household, a trend that was echoed by women’s statements as well as men’s. In terms of the other harmful traditional practices, some role model men spoke out about polygamy, saying that they would not participate in the practice or that they discouraged the practice generally. A sizeable number of men also stated that they decided not to have their daughters undergo FGC and/or discouraged this practice in their communities. FGC-related changes were the most frequently cited GBV/HTP changes among role model men, comprising one-third of all GBV/HTP-related changes. Men noted multiple reasons for these changes, including legal repercussions and greater awareness that has been growing well before the GRAD program started. Two additional practices were described in the changes observed among role model men: abduction and early marriage. A few of the GBV/HTP changes among role model men were related to abduction.
Amelia
While participation in savings group was a significant change for women, some men reported that, thanks to the program, they were able to access loans from formal microfinance institutions (MFIs) and that they were able to take larger and multiple loans. Many of the loans were used for investment in assets and income-generating activities. Other MFI-related changes were related to the frequency of borrowing. Men described taking loans two, three, even four times and then using these loans to purchase assets and increase productivity in order to repay the loans.
Although such behavior changes were relatively less significant for men than for women, men also mentioned a number of important changes related to their own income and income generating activities (IGAs). While for women, engagement in IGA activities or savings group represented their first opportunity to accumulate income, men’s behavior changes were related to diversification of livelihood strategies. They reported engaging in a wide variety of IGAs: producing paper, selling teff, sowing wheat, cultivating peppers, fattening shoats, raising goats, growing maize, and more. Many also mentioned that new techniques and training enabled them to improve their livelihoods.
As with other changes related to finances, behavior changes related to saving were only reported by non-role model men. Among these men, there were 27 reports of men engaging in savings activities. Several men also described couples jointly engaging in savings practices.
Amelia
While not mentioned as frequently, men also reported behavior and attitudinal changes related to their support for women’s public participation and leadership, changes in beliefs and attitudes about gender and women’s value in society. A few mentioned building household assets, nutrition improvements, and conflict resolution.
Some men described their own actions to encourage women’s participation in public fora. All of these statements indicate that men serve as gate-keepers for women’s participation in public life, and that the VESA was also seen as the primary (and acceptable) platform for women to exercise leadership.
While “regular” male participants tended to concentrate on the material benefits of the program, changes to their own livelihoods, and on the concrete workload-sharing tasks they assumed, the role model men had much more to say around the themes of gender equality. The above chart demonstrates that role model men expressed more profound attitudinal and behavior changes than men who had not received the additional training. This is unsurprising, given that “role models” were selected for that reason – their greater willingness to consider gender-equitable norms—but the role models also reported that the training they received from the program transformed their thinking and behaviors.
While these indicators may sound oversimplified, there is evidence to suggest that, particularly among role model men, practices related to gender are beginning to change and further awareness raising among men can have an important effect on shifting said attitudes and practices.
Amelia
Given their role as public figures with access to platforms for reaching the community, it is not surprising that many of their observations related to telling or teaching specific gender practices or lessons to the members of their communities or religious groups. In some of the communities, the leaders reported specific behavior changes the leaders themselves have demonstrated and taken up in their own homes and personal lives. Some themes seem to be more commonly adopted as changes in the leaders’ own lives while other themes are primarily discussed and advised upon.
Amelia
Like other men in these communities, and likely due to the emphasis placed on this topic by the GRAD training, the most commonly observed type of change that community leaders claimed to take on in their own lives and homes was workload sharing. As we saw with other men in the above section, male community leaders began assisting with a number of traditionally female household tasks, including help with cooking, a task that was less commonly taken up by the other male respondents.
Like other male participants, male leaders most commonly reported helping with firewood and water collection, cooking, and making coffee. That Community Leaders (relative to the other male respondents) were more likely to help with cooking than with the physical tasks of fetching wood and firewood may have to do with their older age; some suggested that cooking was an easier task for them at this age. Those who couldn’t do tasks themselves explained that they delegated the work o other children.
Amelia
Changes in the relationship were equally undertaken by and advised upon by community leaders. As was seen with other male respondents, changes in the relationship reported by community leaders centered around themes of respect and trust with regard to financial matters. A significant change in relationships reported by community leaders relates to “sharing a common cash box key,” an indicator of financial transparency and deepening trust in relationships. This change was observed both in leaders’ own lives and in the advice they gave to the members of their communities. As seen previously, the practice of men and women eating together appears to be an important marker of increased respect and intimacy in the relationship. Male community leaders reported that they were eating together with their wives and also actively promoted the practice among their communities.
Amelia
Another category of change frequently undertaken by community leaders themselves is family discussions and decision-making. Two types of new discussions reported by community leaders pertain to household assets, like cattle, and family planning. Community leaders described the ways they initiated discussions within their own homes and involved their wives to a greater extent in decision-making.
Amelia
Religious and community leaders also accessed loans themselves. In doing so, these leaders were able to model responsible management and repayment of these loans. Leaders also followed up trainings with advice members of their communities around MFI access and responsible loan use, urging community members to create and follow financial management plans,.
”Conflict resolution” as a category of behavior change was unique to the community leaders. Paralleling the trend toward more discussion and less violence at the intra-household level, community leaders felt they had increased engagement and skill in helping to peacefully resolve conflicts in their communities.
Leaders also noted a number of actions to support women’s public participation, such as encouraging men and women to sit together in public meetings. Leaders also advised husbands to send their wives to VESA meetings, intervening in person if the spouse were reluctant.
Amelia
Other changes were noted less frequently (fewer than five times each) by community leaders.. The community leaders who were interviewed did not describe any changes in beliefs or attitudes about gender or girls’ education.
Leaders played an active role in promoting the “culture of savings,” and they saw this savings culture as a meaningful change in their communities. Some religious leaders used the church as a platform for educating non-GRAD members about savings. Chairpersons encouraged members of their communities to participate in income generating activities like shoat fattening
Although it was not a prominent category of change among this respondent group, a few elders discouraged the practice of polygamy, forced marriage, and FGC.
With regard to equitable resource distribution, they specifically used their leadership role to encourage equitable distribution of nutritious foods to women, a 57 year-old leader from Shebedino stated, “Elders and religious leaders proposed to gosa leaders, who are influential in the community, to change [the practice of reserving the] delicious foods that have butter, milk, and kocho for men.”
Leaders may also play an important role in promoting female leadership in their communities, as a 38 year-old leader from Rafu Hargisa noted, “Chairpersons select and propose women to leadership.”
Amelia
Training from the GRAD program is the most commonly identified enabling factor among women, particularly in referenceto nutrition, gender relations, and saving. Women also explained that training has encouraged them and taught them how to start saving.
Group participation, especially participation in VESAs, is also an important change-enabling factor for many women, particularly for women in FHHs, who may have limited support networks. Group participation evidently enables change by increasing women’s access to savings, information, gender awareness, and solidarity.
Access to loans, through both VESAs and occasionally MFIs, is a transformative tool for further changes to women’s economic and social status, which enables them to invest in their children’s well-being –and their daughters’ future.
Government programs and changes to laws were also identified as enabling factors for discouraging GBV and HTPs. These laws—transmitted through government workers—do seem to be having some impact on community level attitudes and practices. A few women also mentioned the importance of community leaders in challenging harmful traditional practices.
The influence of role models and change agents was a crucial enabling factor for female leaders, in particular. Some described how others began to change their behaviors when they saw the good that came through the behavior changes of their “early adopter” neighbors.
Amelia
As for women, training was the most commonly cited enabling factor for men, followed by group participation. Men greatly valued the trainings on savings and IGA activities that transformed their livelihoods, but those who had participated in some sort of gender training credited this training with transforming their gender attitudes, as well.
Hearing such messages from church leaders as well as VESA groups also spurred social norm changes.
Role models evidently played an important role in shifting men’s behaviors.
Other factors, like fear of punishment under the law and rewards or incentives for engaging in changes, were noted by a few male participants.
Amelia
Unlike other groups, advice from leaders is the most common explanation for change among male leaders, with training the second most common reason. Community leaders believe that advice from leaders is the most significant factor enabling changes in their communities—perhaps because they are the ones doling out this very advice. Training was a crucial factor allowing community leaders to fulfill their role as change agents and role models. Group participation was also occasionally noted by community leaders as a factor enabling change. Encouraging joint participation of men and women in VESA groups had a self-perpetuating benefit, suggesting that the act of sitting together, saving together, and discussion together had a “felt good” effect, reinforcing the practice and furthering intra-household communication.
Amelia
Women from female-headed households and female leaders identified a number of obstacles that make behavioral and attitudinal changes more difficult in their communities. Traditionally held attitudes perpetuate harmful traditional practices and other gender-inequitable attitudes. Deeply held traditional attitudes and habits uphold the practice of HTPs and many are reluctant to question their cultural practice on the basis of ‘awareness raising” alone. Similarly, men and women who attempt behaviors that contradict hegemonic masculinity and femininity face mockery and ridicule from women and men alike. Several women described attitudes denigrating men who help with traditionally “female” tasks. The biggest obstacle to change identified by the male interviewees—community leaders, male citizens, and male role models—was community disapproval of men who took on tasks traditionally proscribed for women.
Other obstacles include lack of access to capital, lack of access to education, lack of access to water, and a lack of support for women in female-headed households. Despite the changing trends observed above, there remains strong resistance to girls’ education. Although savings groups have improved their situation, women still struggle against unequal access to capital and resources.
Some men may be reluctant to change habitual practices that favor and enforce men’s power can be hard to change, such as the expectation that husbands be served by their wives without even politely greeting them as they enter the home. Although women’s unequal work burden was acknowledged, at least one interviewee discussed women’s resistance to male attempts to share in this workload. Another man mentioned that a skill gap prevents men from helping with certain household tasks, such as making injera, the staple of the Ethiopian diet.
Amelia
GRAD’s focus on fostering cultures of savings in its target communities has had positive effects. Many male and female respondents credit GRAD with promoting a “culture of savings” that goes beyond participating in savings group to developing a broader outlook and skill-set (record-keeping, livelihood diversification) that enables planning for and investing in the future.
Women and men are engaging in more diversified income generating activities and are adopting new agricultural practices. Families have initiated discussions between parents and children and between husbands and wives. These discussions relate primarily to livelihood investments, but are spilling over to other areas of life, including discussions of the children’s education. Practices of men and women eating together further this trend toward greater intra-household communication and discussion. More families are sending their daughters to school and participants report increased value placed on girls’ education. Some participants, both male and female, report declining rates of intra-household gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices, especially female genital cutting. These trends were initiated well before GRAD, but the program appears to contribute to broader government-led initiatives against such practices.
Amelia
Changes were most notable in areas where the GRAD program has focused its attention—such as workload sharing and savings. Where the GRAD program has placed less emphasis or suggested less explicit behavior changes—such as family discussions and decision-making—changes are in more incipient stages, practiced particularly among role models and related to discussions over livelihood assets and savings, which are directly related to GRAD activities. This, along with participants’ descriptions of being influenced by the GRAD program’s trainings, suggest that the program can have real impact when it chooses to concentrate on changing particular behaviors and activities, especially working on progressively more challenging behavior changes outlined by the progress marker maps developed during the fieldwork.
Compared to “regular” male participants, role model men reported more changes and interest in areas like gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices, attitudes and beliefs about gender, and family discussions and decision-making. They also mentioned that they looked to role models to encourage their own behavior changes. This suggests that investing in role models and explicit gender training is important for changing social norms and behaviors around gender. It also suggests that expansion of gender training to other men and community members may have greater impact and create more consensus around social norm change.
Amelia
Understanding FHH and MHH vulnerabilities. Although the missing interview transcripts for women from MHH in two study sites make statements about the differential experiences of women from FHH and women from MHH inconclusive, there do appear to be some differences that are worth exploring further. Women from FHH appear to have had an easier time engaging in some new behaviors than women in MHH—such as public participation in VESAs and community meetings—perhaps due to their greater mobility and autonomy, but they still face particular vulnerabilities in terms of social and economic support. FHH women’s labor constraints may lead to greater reliance on child labor (compromising their children’s education), while engagement in IGA activities and refusal of wife inheritance practice may lead to retraction of traditional financial support from other family members. Further discussion with both groups may be necessary to appropriately respond to the specific gender barriers to MHH and FHH women’s economic and social advancement.
Community leader role modeling. As described above, many of the changes reported by community leaders were related to advice these leaders are giving rather than actions they are taking. As the GRAD project moves forward, emphasis should be placed on community leaders making behavior changes in their own lives. These changes can not only foster gender equity in the leaders’ own lives, but can serve to role model positive behavior change, as has already occurred with leaders role modeling loan-taking and repayment.
Encourage other indicators of intra-household equity. While men reported taking on a number of traditionally female tasks in order to reduce the burden place on women, many of the changes reported by men were the more socially acceptable and easier to achieve tasks such as fetching water and making coffee. The midterm revealed some strong taboos around certain traditionally female tasks (such as enset or kocho preparation). While men’s performance of these taboo tasks may be ‘transformative,’ insisting on role-reversal for its own sake can risk greater resistance from all community members. On the other hand, the midterm review revealed some subtler indicators of changing power dynamics in the relationship between men and women – women looking men in the eye when they serve them, men and women sitting together to eat, spouses calling each other by name, men ‘showing a smiling face to women.’ Such actions have the benefit of having a “feel good” effect (as mentioned above), creating their own rewards and mutual benefits in terms of greater intimacy, respect, and understanding within the relationship. Fortunately for the program, these mini-indicators are also easily measurable behaviors that can be encouraged in dialogues and VESA sessions. Putting energy and focus on behaviors like these (rather than insisting on a particular workload-taboo) may indicate or lead to a more profound process of communication and renegotiation of dynamics in the household.
Push for transformative change. Finally, GRAD can use this midterm and its early achievements as encouragement to tackle more challenging social norms and domains of change. The progress marker maps offer a roadmap of progressively more transformative changes, providing an initial guideline for recognizing early changes while setting sights on more transformative change. Engaging communities in discussion of such “roadmaps” can be a useful tool for securing consensus and support for transformative change.
